Londoners have a very efficient system in detecting and filling up potholes in their streets. Once the presence of a pothole is reported, a team will immediately fill it up to avoid future problems and accidents.This is very like our teeth, although no one can report the presence of holes except for your dentist and yourself. And once detected, it should at least be taken care of as soon as possible. Why? Well, a lot of people think that it is just a small hole and it does not interfere with how they eat. Unfortunately, small holes can be big holes plus the chance of bacteria getting inside and living in those crevices. When this happens, it can cause an infection in the area and lead to a terrible tooth ache, and eventually to the loss of your tooth.

One of the dental procedures often done by dentists involve filling up those potholes in your teeth. First, they clean the area thoroughly so as to not trap any foreign material inside the crevice after filling. They may also widen the crevice a bit more by scraping off decay with a burr. This is of course done with local anaesthetic unless the pain is tolerable. When everything is clean, they prepare a mixture of ingredients, which may include silver, copper, tin, and a very minimal amount of mercury. This is referred to as an amalgam filling which are often durable to grinding and chewing. Other fillings can be coloured to the natural shade of the tooth so as to not be quite noticeable. For worse cases, a crown may be fitted on the tooth.

So just like a pothole, these crevices on your teeth should be taken care of. This promotes a healthy oral cavity and great smile as well.